IBD care improvements needed

GPs want more information and education concerning patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), a new survey shows. Commissioned by the Healthcare Quality Improvement Partnership (HQIP), the findings suggested that IBD patients were encountered less frequently than...<<Read More>>

Foreign doctors could be language-tested

Government plans to improve NHS language skills could see doctors with inadequate levels of English struck off, health secretary Andrew Lansley has announced. The plans are now out for consultation. Under the proposals, all Responsible Officers...<<Read More>>

Global shortage of ophthalmologists

There is a significant shortfall of trained eye doctors in many countries and capacity is not keeping pace with the demands of ageing populations, research published in the British Journal of Ophthalmology suggests. A survey of 192 countries showed that there were...<<Read More>>

Consultants urged to consider seven-day rotas

The chair of the BMA consultants’ committee has said seven-day working in hospitals could help stop patient deaths. Figures show that patients admitted for emergency treatment at weekends are almost 10% more...<<Read More>>

Fears for doctors’ freedom after reforms

Two prominent supporters of the health reforms have expressed fears that local doctors will not have sufficient freedom in the new clinical commissioning groups (CCGs). This follows increased opposition to the Bill, with calls for the legislation to be...<<Read More>>

Doctors working above contracted hours

The NHS is relying on the goodwill of doctors to work for longer than their contracted hours, the Royal College of Physicians suggests. According to the 2010 census, each week consultants work for 11.5% of their contracted hours extra for free. For...<<Read More>>

Doctors debate organ donation rules

Doctors wishing to overturn the BMA’s longstanding policy in favour of ‘presumed consent’ for organ donation – the system in which people have to opt out, rather than opt in – are bringing a motion to the organisation’s conference this week. The Welsh Assembly favours the idea, but some doctors at the...
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Doctors surveyed about the NHS

A survey suggests that many GPs are not happy with the current state of the NHS. Out of 576 doctors questioned, 35% are planning to leave, or retire, in the next five years. Conducted for Pulse magazine, the results also show that 46% of doctors... <<Read More>>

Surprising results from doctors’ survey

A fifth of doctors do not ‘strongly agree’ that patient welfare should come before their own financial interests, a study has shown. The figure was the same in the UK as in the US. The survey, ‘Professional values and report... <<Read More>>

Rift in the BMA over reforms stance

Doctors ask for changes to NHS bill

BMA council members have demanded a number of “key amendments” to the NHS reforms as some doctors threatened strike action in the most extreme case. They say too much is already happening too fast, making the controversial ref... <<Read More>>

Doctors’ protests against funding reductions

The BMA has launched a campaign against cuts to general practice funding in Northern Ireland averaging £15,000 per surgery.It has issued a petition and posters highlighting the £5m cut since August. Dr Brian Dunn, who chairs the... <<Read more>>

MMR scare ‘linked to secret business plans’

Andrew Wakefield planned to make millions from a medical test linked to his discredited allegations a link between the MMR jab and autism, a new study alleges. An investigation published in the BMJ says the doctor and his associate... <<Read more>>

Patients deserve better out of hours care - RCP president

Hospitals need more trained doctors at weekends

Junior doctors ‘putting patients at risk’, says DH

A report into the Foundation Programme by Sir John Collins has found that junior doctors are being forced to carry out tasks which are beyond their competence. The report also found that some junior doctors were not being properly...

Government must rethink immigration cap, says BMA

The Government needs to rethink its plans to introduce an annual cap on immigration to take into account the impact these changes will have of the NHS, according to the BMA. “The UK relies on doctors from outside the EU to fully staff the NHS,” said Dr Terry John, Chairman of the BMA’s International ...

GMC signs joint-agreement on doctor movement

The General Medical Council has signed a joint-statement with 24 other national medical authorities which sets out how doctor movements can be improved. Niall Dickson, Chief Executive of the General Medical Council, said: "We really appreciate the Commission's...

Doctors sceptical over new reforms, survey finds

A survey carried out by think tank The Kings Fund has found that doctors are skeptical about the government’s proposed NHS reforms. The results of the survey reveal that less than a quarter of doctors have faith that the reforms will deliver improvements...